27 Years of Retention Outcomes for a Nine-University Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program in Ontario, Canada

Abstract Background:This article looks at 27 years of graduate retention outcomes for a nine-university consortium education program for Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in Ontario, Canada. It assesses graduate retention in terms of whether graduates are still practicing: 1) as an NP in Ontario; and 2) as an NP in the geographic region of Ontario where they graduated. Methods: The study maps the geographic distribution of practicing NP graduates across urban, rural, and remote areas in Ontario through a Google Map interface. It also identifies the percentage of NP graduates working in rural or remote areas. Results: The study highlights the consortium’s distributed education model as an important factor in successful NP recruitment and retention across the province. It emphasizes other factors, such as the availability of NP employment positions across geographic regions and working conditions, as key elements of a health human resource strategy to meet population health care needs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the consortium’s education model effectively supports NP recruitment and retention. The availability of employment positions and working conditions are also critical for addressing the health human resource needs across Ontario. Trial Registration: Not applicable.